Days of heavy rain had turned the mountain roads into a muddy mess. Only on the fourth day did the seven riders finally reach Xinchang Prefecture's capital.
Before they even entered the city gates, they saw ragged refugees everywhere. Disheveled people drove donkey carts laden with their families and belongings. Outside the city, porridge kitchens stood every fifty paces, while constables patrolled to maintain order.
"Come here!"
Twin Whips called someone over.
Seeing their Flying Fish Uniforms and Embroidered Spring Sabers, the constables hurried over to pay their respects.
Jia Huan asked:
"Has disaster struck Xinchang Prefecture?"
One constable answered respectfully:
"Reporting to you, sir, the heavy rains a few days ago caused flooding. The Prefect has issued a Disaster Relief Notice, ordering the Prefectural Cities' officials to properly care for the people."
Jia Huan nodded and displayed his Command Token.
"Take us to the prefectural office."
"As you command." The Head Constable dared not delay.
Half an hour later.
Jia Huan arrived at the Xinchang prefectural office. With his rank of General Banner, he naturally could not meet the Prefect. The man who received him was only a Registrar of the lower seventh rank.
"Where is Liu Strongman's body?" Jia Huan went straight to the point.
The Registrar knew the Embroidered Uniform Guard had come for this matter and replied:
"General Banner Jia, follow me."
Inside the Morgue Office, the Registrar pointed to one of the coffins. The stench of decay assaulted their noses. A corpse lay inside.
Twin Whips took out a portrait, then examined the corpse's waist, left arm, and the three moles on his palm. Grief touched his expression.
"Boss, it's definitely Liu Strongman."
How could they not grieve when a fellow guard had died so horribly?
"How was he found?" Jia Huan looked at the Registrar.
The Registrar answered everything he knew:
"The body was floating in the river. Some locals reported it, and the constables retrieved it. They found no Waist Token, but inside his clothes they discovered a Family Letter written by his wife. It mentioned the Embroidered Uniform Guard Office, so the prefectural office immediately reported it to the Capital."
Jia Huan nodded and pointed at Biaozi.
"Lord Yang, could you take my subordinate to find those locals and constables?"
"Of course." Yang Registrar was very cooperative.
Jia Huan bent down to examine the body. The chest had caved in and the heart had ruptured. Liu Strongman certainly had not drowned-someone had killed him with a palm strike.
The force had pierced straight through bone, meridians, and heart. Its power was considerable.
"Fathead Fish, Skinny Monkey, cremate our fellow guard's body and put his ashes in a box."
"Yes." The two accepted the order.
Jia Huan left the Morgue Office.
The possibility of an old enemy from the Jianghu was vanishingly small.
If Liu Strongman really had such an enemy, he would not have left the Capital alone to investigate a case.
"Boss, we don't know where to start." Scholar frowned in frustration.
Jia Huan looked at him.
"Go investigate how this flood happened. The neighboring prefectures are all unharmed. See if you can root out any corrupt officials."
Since they were already here, they could not make the trip for nothing.
Then he continued in a low voice:
"As for this case, we can only turn to Misty Rain Tower. If even they have no clues, catching the killer will probably be difficult."
Scholar's eyes lit up.
Right! The boss could come and go from Misty Rain Tower as he pleased!
Misty Rain Tower had outposts throughout the realm. Whenever the slightest wind stirred the grass in the Jianghu, even if they did not know every detail, they would at least have heard something.
The southern part of the city.
Compared with the plain, shabby Misty Rain Tower in the Capital, the building before them was imposing and grand, rising five stories high. A steady stream of Jianghu folk passed along the street outside.
The seven entered.
Seeing a girl carrying a Sword Case on her back, Jia Huan displayed his Gilt Command Token.
At first, the girl regarded these court lackeys with disdain. After seeing the token, however, she stared intently at Jia Huan's face.
"The Embroidered Uniform Guard's Little Butcher!" she blurted out, admiration in her eyes.
Jia Huan nodded.
"That's me."
"Please go up to the fifth floor." After speaking, the girl asked cautiously:
"Young Master Jia, could I invite you to a meal?"
Women of the Jianghu were open and straightforward, unlike the bashful young ladies sheltered in their chambers.
Jia Huan sounded slightly apologetic.
"I'm busy with official duties!"
"All right, then." The girl pressed her lips together, looking disappointed.
They headed upstairs.
"Boss, your bravery and prowess must have won over so many pretty girls." Fathead Fish's voice brimmed with envy.
On the fourth floor, Fathead Fish and the others were stopped at the stairs. Jia Huan went up to the fifth floor alone.
The spacious loft held only a woman in a plain cloth skirt with a thornwood hairpin. She was reading with a tabby cat in her arms.
Jia Huan handed over his token.
"Little Butcher? What do you need?" the woman asked directly.
Jia Huan went straight to the point:
"I'm here to ask about something. You know about the Embroidered Uniform Guard Strongman who died in Xinchang Prefecture's capital, I assume?"
"I've heard about it." The woman dipped her chin.
Jia Huan asked again:
"A palm strike pierced his chest, severing his heart and meridians cleanly. This Palm Technique was brutal and seemed to require no buildup of force. Does Misty Rain Tower know anything about it?"
The woman smiled. "Xinchang Prefecture's capital is a large city. Martial artists come and go like carp crossing a river, and those who use Palm Techniques are beyond counting. Identifying the killer from that alone would be like fishing for a needle in the ocean. Even Misty Rain Tower lacks that ability."
Jia Huan stared at her. "Do you not know, or do you not want to say?"
He had experienced Misty Rain Tower's ways before.
As he spoke, he took out a martial arts manual: Life-Taking Chain Kicks, which he had written out himself. It was a low-level kicking technique awarded through sin points from apprehending ninth-rank offenders. He had long since stopped valuing it.
Jia Huan tossed it over.
"I know the rules. Martial arts in exchange for information."
The woman's expression grew solemn. Studying the obscure, difficult formulas, she murmured:
"A first-rate martial art. Worth a great deal!"
Jia Huan remained expressionless and emphasized his words:
"An exchange of benefits. No rules broken."
The woman rose and spoke, stressing every word:
"The Zhoulong Escort Agency's ancestral Palm Technique!"
Her tone was certain, without the slightest hesitation.
Jia Huan snapped his fingers. "I'll take my leave."
"Wait, young master." The woman offered a warning. "The agency's chief escort is at the second innate stage and has powerful backing. You should proceed cautiously."
Powerful backing meant he had no fear of an Embroidered Uniform Guard General Banner.
Greater strength meant Jia Huan's life could be in danger.
"Thank you for telling me." Jia Huan nodded.
What bullshit chief escort? One palm strike, nothing more.
Needing more than one would be incompetence.
"Boss, did you find a lead?"
As they left Misty Rain Tower, Fathead Fish hurried to ask.
Jia Huan said gravely:
"The Zhoulong Escort Agency. I trust Misty Rain Tower's judgment. This case will be closed soon."
Fathead Fish said indignantly:
"They dared kill an Embroidered Uniform Guard? That escort agency's got enough dog's gall to swallow the heavens!"
Jia Huan sank into thought.
Logically, an escort agency took money to transport goods. What grudge could it have against the Embroidered Uniform Guard?
Even if a dispute arose, it would seek to smooth things over. An escort agency was a long-term business. Provoking the Embroidered Uniform Guard Office was truly unwise.
It was not that simple.
While he was thinking, Scholar and Biaozi hurried over.
Scholar reported:
"Boss, I heard the days of torrential rain breached Xinchang Dam, causing widespread flooding. The fertile fields were submerged before the autumn harvest, and houses in many villages were destroyed. The people have suffered terribly."
Biaozi added from beside him:
"When the locals discovered Liu Strongman's body, it had already been soaking in the water overnight. It was probably washed down from upstream."
Jia Huan suddenly asked:
"How far away was Xinchang Dam?"
"Only about three li," Biaozi reported.
Jia Huan paced back and forth. He had a powerful premonition that Liu Strongman's death was connected to Xinchang Dam!
Then this was a major case!
The merit for this...
"Come on. We're going to the Zhoulong Escort Agency. Whatever it takes, we're prying that chief escort's mouth open!"
Before you continue